Podcast

In this episode, documentary filmmakers Alice Gu (The Donut King, Really Good Rejects) and Ciara Lacy (Out of State) discuss the power of framing, the true value of collaboration, and their mutual desire to transition into narrative spaces.

Cinema is a vehicle for empathy and a powerful tool for social change. In this episode, directors Molly Calliste (Humanity Last: Refugees Still Hope) and Sophie Constantinou (Divided Loyalties) continue to put a lens to social issues as they question how much we can ask films to truly change the world.

As we continue to advance inclusion for transgender artists, listen to multi-hyphenate filmakers Chet Pancake (Queer Genius) and Isabel Sandoval (Lingua Franca) discuss how their identies and personal experiences inspire the stories they tell and in turn, the stories that inspire them.

Two very unique filmmakers Lisa Donato (Gossamer Folds) and Veronica McKenzie (Nine Nights) discuss how they started their careers, breaking through societal boundaries in storytelling, and sharing the experiences of underrepresented communities through their films.

Improvisation is key for these two highly collaborative filmmakers, Maria Breaux (Mother Country) and StormMiguel Florez (The Whistle) who discuss what improvisational filmmaking is like and how to use film to advocate for something you truly believe in.

In this episode, Latinx filmmakers Chica Barbosa (La Flaca / The Bony Lady) and Kryzz Gautier (Keep / Delete) dive into their experiences growing up in Latin America, the continuing influence that has on their work, and the significance of diversity both in front of the camera and behind.

Prolific documentary filmmakers Gilda Sheppard (Since I Been Down) and Tania Cypriano (Born to Be) understand the unique ability cinema has to connect humans and transform opinions. Listen as they discuss the power of story, how it can transcend statistics, and the importance of finding growth in discomfort.

Cinema can be a powerful instrument to illuminate how our society and culture operate. In this episode, LGBTQ+ filmmakers Fiona Dawson (TransMilitary) and Ky Dickens (The City that Sold America) discuss topics ranging from universal consciousness to breaking the world view of gender and sexuality.

While the world is pulling us in so many different directions, accomplished filmmakers Jenni Olson (The Royal Road) and Yvonne Welbon (Living With Pride: Ruth Ellis @100) share the importance of self-reflection, empowerment and learning how to curb your inner critic.

This episode showcases the importance of community and connection; from the queer community in San Francisco to the communities formed in a refugee camp in Thailand. Listen to filmmakers Lisa Ginsburg (Override) and Ruth Gumnit (Visible Silence) weave through the history of their friendship as they discuss their careers, collaboration and the people who have helped them along the way.

Filmmakers Elaine Chu (The Purgation) and Jessie Kahnweiler (The Skinny) discuss highlighting dark subjects, whether it be through comedy or horror, and how they both channel difficult topics through their art. They also touch on the different paths they’ve taken in their careers and how being a woman in your thirties impacts on-set life.

Experienced photographers-turned-filmmakers Deborah Attoinese (Woman and Fire) and Sara Terry (A Decent Home) both encountered moments in their careers that required them to be bold and say yes. Listen as they discuss the transition from still to moving images, and the difference between creating worlds and entering them.

On our final episode of the season, listen to award-winning queer Latinx filmmakers Anna Margarita Albelo (Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf? And Vagina is the Warmest Color) and Aurora Guerrero (Mosquita Y Mari and Queen Sugar) as they delve into the power of the camera, and how storytelling is a direct way to contribute to culture, build community and be an agent for change.